Refrigerator



2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

D. P. EDGAR.

REFRIGERATOR.

Patented Dec. 15, v1891.

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ma Nanms versus co., Pnmumo., wAsnmaroN, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DENNIS P. EDGAR, OF MANCHESTER, MICHIGAN.

REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,055, dated December15, 1891. Application filed November 13, 1890- Serial No. 371,346. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DENNIS P. EDGAR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Manchester, in the county of Washtenaw and `tate ofMichigan, have invented a new and useful Refrigerator, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to refrigerators; and it has for its object toprovide a device of this class which shall be simple and comparativelyinexpensive, and which shall be free from that humidity which is such anobjectionable feature in most refrigerators as ordinarily constructed.

Vith these ends in view the invention consists in the improvedconstruction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which'will behereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view ofa refrigerator constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is avertical sectional view taken on the line 2 2 in Eig. 1. Fig. 3 is ahorizonal sectional view taken through the ice-chamber and looking in adownward direction. Fig. 4 is a front elevation.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

The casing of my improved refrigerator is constructed of three layers ofwood, designated by l, 2, and 3. The outer layer 1 is preferably of hardwood, andthe inner layer 3 of any suitable durable but porous andabsorbent material, while the intermediate layer 2 may be merely a cheapfilling to give body to the casing. Between the out-er and middle layersl and 2 is interposed a sheet4 of parchment paper. Between the middleand inner layersis placed a lining of sheet metal 5, on each side ofwhich a sheet of parchment paper4 is likewise placed. The sheet-metallining is for the purpose of rendering'the casing practically air-tight.The paper linings are well-known non-conductors of heat.

The wooden lining 3 of the casing is treated with an antiseptic solutionin the manner de-` scribed in my pending application for Letters Patent,Serial No. 333,642, filed March 25, 1S89. This is for the purpose ofcausing the said'wooden lining to repel the noxious vapors and humorswhich arise in the refrigerator from the articles placed therein forpreservation. The wooden lining` if it were not thus treated, wouldabsorb all the vapor and moisture arising in the refrigerator, and thelatter would eventually become moldy and unfit for use. By treating theWooden lining with an antiseptic compound or solution of salt,saltpeter, carbonate of ammonia, and carbolic acid, as described in myformer application above referred to, these ingredients will flll thepores of the wood, with the result of repelling the noxious vapors andhumors, which are disposed of as will be presently described.

In the upper end of the box or casing is constructed an ice-chamber 6,which consists, essentially, of a Wooden frame 7, supported uponsuitable cleats 8 and supportin ga rearwardlyinclined plate of sheetmetal 9, terminating short of the back wall of the chamber. Sheetmetalplates, such as 10, are also placed at the ends and at the back of theice-chamber, andthe back plate is extended downwardly so as to formatrough 11,which is slightly inclined from the ends toward the center,and which bears under the rear ends of said cleats S forward of theterminal of the downwardlyinclined bottom plate. The end and back platesl0 are mounted upon cleats 12, whereby they are held ashort distancefrom the inner walls of the casing, and the bottom, bac:k,'and endplates are provided with linings of wood, as 12b. Said end and backplates are also inclined upwardly towardthe top of the casing tofacilitate the running of the drippings to the inclined bottom plate anddirectly to the driptroughs, as will be apparent; but the linings ofsaid end and back plates do not entirely cover the same, as does thebottom-plate lining, in order to allow space for theventilating-openings and to provide a greater conl densinU-surface. Uponthe rear side of the trough 11, at the lower end of the back plate 10,is formed a supplemental drip-trough 13. The front side and the ends ofthe bottom plate E) are provided with upturned flanges, as shown at 14,so as to receive the drippings from the end plates l0 and convey thelatter with the drippings resulting from the melting ice to the trough1l.

15 designates a tank, which may be cylindrical or of any other suitableshape, and which is placed vertically in the refrigerator adjacent tothe back wall of the latter. The

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upper end of said tank, which is open, is arranged directly below thedrip-openings 16 in the troughs 11 and 13, and the said tank is providedwith a suitably-arranged spout 17, through Which its contents mayoverflow. The tank 15 is placed in a drip-pan 18, which receives theoverflow and which has a downwardly-extending spout 19,extending-through an opening in the bottom of the refrigerator. Cleats2O are secured around the drip-pan 18 to keep the latter in place.

The front and rear walls'of the refrigerator are provided withsuitably--arrangedv cleats 21 to support shelves 22, upon whichprovisions may be placed. Thefront wall of the refrigerator is alsoprovided with suitably-arranged doors and 24, affording access to theice-chamber and to the provisionchambeig'respectively. The front wall isprovided behind the door 23 with cleats 25 to guide a vertically-movableslide 26, which when raised in front of the ice-chamber may be supportedby aturn-button 27, swiveled to the under side of the frame 7, thusclosing the ice-chamber more perfectly. A portion of the front wall may,if desired, be provided with glass windows for the inspection of thecontents.

In operation the iceis placed in the chamber constructed for itsreception, and the articles to be preserved are placed in theprovisionchamber. The drippings from the ice pass into the trough 11 andfrom thence into the tank 15, which latter is. thereby cooled. The icelikewise thoroughly cools the metal plates 9 and 10, forming the bottomand sides of the ice-chamber, eventually causing the wooden strips 12bto freeze onto said metal plates. Any vapors and humors arising from thecontents of the provision-chamber will be instantly condensed againstthe under side of the bottom plate 9 and the rear sides of the end andback plates 10 of the ice-chamber,`

as well as against the condensing-tank 15, the outer side of which iskept quite cold by the ice-water contained therein. As fast as itcondenses the moisture `from the plate 9 and the end plates 10 will beconducted to the trough 11, and fromthence pass into the tank 15. Inlike manner the moisture that condenses upon the rear side of the backplate 10 will pass into the supplemental trough 13, and thence into thetank 15, the overflow of which is eventually conducted off through thespout 19. chilled condensing-surfaces I insure the condensation of allmoisture, vapors, and humors arising from the contents of therefrigerator and provide for the carrying out of the moisture thuscondensed. The inner wooden lining of the refrigerator being treatedwith an antiseptic compound, as described, will repel the vapors andhumors, and thus render the operation of the device perfect.

The condensing-plates 10, that form the ends and back Wall of theice-compartment, are preferably provided with perforations,

By thus providing such as 10C, in order that the gases, vapors, andhumors emanating from the contents of the refrigerator may also come indirect contact with the ice to assist in the condensation of suchvapors, the.

While I `have in the foregoing described my invention as applied to arefrigerator, I would have it understood that it may very readily beadapted to buildings constructed for cold-storage purposes, in which asupply of ice sufficient to last an entire season is placed. lVhen theinvention is used in this manner, the Walls ofthe building maybe eitherof brick or of other suitable material, and between the outer walls andan inner lining, which is composed of Wood treated with antisepticmaterial, packing of any suitable material is to be interposed to form anon-conducting lining. In other respects the construction is to be thesame as hereinbefore described, excepting, of course, that doors ormeans of access are to be arranged in the most convenient manner, andthat the relative proportions of the provision and ice chambers are tobe such as may be deemed most ksuitable and convenient.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- In a refrigerator, the combination,with the inclosing box or casing, of an ice-compartment located in thetop of said-casing and comprising a rearwardly and downwardlyinclinedsupporting-frame supported upon side cleats similarly inclined, asheet-metal bottom plate supported upon said frame and havingdrip-catching flanges at its front side and ends and terminating shortof the back wall of the casing, a closely-laid lining completelycovering said bottom plate, the oppo- IOO site sheet-metal side platessupported upon cleats at a distance from the sides of the casing andoverlapping the sides of the bottom plate and outwardly inclinedtherefrom, a sheet-metal back plate supported at an ineline from theback of the casing between the same and the rear end of the bottom plateand extending below said bottom, terminating in an integral drip-troughprojecting forward of said end of the bottom .plate and resting upon theside cleats, the said drip-trough being inclined from the ends towardthe center and having a discharge-opening, a supplemental drip-troughsecured to the lower end of the back plate and reversely disposed to themain drip-trough, the same being similarly inclined and provided with acentral discharge-opening, linings partially facing said end and backplates, and a suitable dripcollector, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

DENNIS P. EDGAR.

Witnesses:

S. M. CASE, A. F. FREEMAN.

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